Monday, September 24, 2012

Schools Matter: Is there a STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) crisis?

Schools Matter: Is there a STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) crisis?:


Is there a STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) crisis?


It is not clear that there is a STEM shortage, Some analysts, in fact, have claimed that there is a surplus of STEM-trained professionals (Teitelbaum, 2007; Toppo and Vergano, 2009; Bracey, 2009.)

A report of the World Economic Federation (Schwab, 2012) confirms that there is no crisis. The US ranks near the top of the world on all categories related to STEM education and availability of expertise: According to the World Economic Federation, the US ranks 5th out of 144 countries in "availability of scientists & engineers," is tied for 5th in "quality of scientific research institutions," ranks 3rd in "university-industry research collaboration” and ranks 7th “capacity for innovation,” which means that American innovation comes largely from research efforts done in the US.

Only three countries ranked in the top ten in all four of these categories: Sweden, Israel, and the US. China